Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur died of cancer while I was on blog break. While most people are lamenting the loss of our “Golden Girl,” including my partner whose obsession with that show is frightening, I want to remind everyone of the feminist tv show that made Bea Arthur a star: Maude.

(due to the ridiculous policing of the song on youtube by WMG, I can’t give you the opening credits scene, but here is the iconic theme song sung by Michael Mishaw; lyrics at bottom of post)

Maude tackled such important topics as reproductive choice, equal pay, racial reconciliation, and so many others.

In this hilarious clip, Maude tackles the difference between middle class “drug use” and working class “drug addiction.” I love this clip not only for its subtleties about drugs but also because Maude and Florida’s interactions provided endless hilarity.

Here’s a discussion about mainstream feminism’s proximity to patriarchy (and pregnancy for the reproductively adverse) that cracks me up:

In short, the character Maude (and the show) was a strong, outspoken, unapologetic woman, every single episode. In many ways, I think Arthur has always been playing Maude on television. Though the actress was said to be more quiet than the character, her strong feminism was akin to both Maude and Dorothy and it showed.